What Changed?
Major Changes in the Comprehensive Plan 2021
The Comprehensive Plan 2021 was created after 20 months of work by the Comprehensive Plan Review Committee (CPRC) and the Planning & Zoning Commission (P&Z). Following the directives from City Council, the CPRC and P&Z focused their changes into four topic areas: Land Use, Transportation, Density, and Growth Management. Proposed updates were forwarded back and forth between both bodies until they received at least a 75% approval by the CPRC and 50% approval by the P&Z. The Plan was adopted by City Council on November 8, 2021.
The most significant changes to the Plan include:
| 1 | Guiding PrinciplesPlano Today | A new set of Guiding Principles serve as a set of overarching values for the Plan. The three principles, Plano Today, Plano 2050, and Plano Together, promote a Comprehensive Plan that is inclusive of Plano’s diverse population and serves the needs of Plano residents, businesses, and institutions, both present and future. |
| 2 | New/Revised Future Land use CategoriesNeighborhood Corners | Revisions were made to the Future Land Use Map, including New/Revised Future Land Use Categories, re-categorizations of key locations around the city, and boundary changes that more accurately reflect the limits of each area. Although some categories share the same name or map color as the previous Comprehensive Plan, significant changes were made to descriptions and details of all categories. |
| 3 | Future Land Use DashboardsLand Use Mix | A new set of Future Land Use Dashboards were created that provide an updated format and significantly more detailed guidance on the preferred mix of uses, densities, intensities, building heights, and more, in each of the Future Land Use categories. The Dashboards illustrate the range of design characteristics that should be provided by zoning change requests for new development and redevelopment (though many locations will not be suitable for the maximum allowances). |
| 4 | New Redevelopment & Growth Management PolicyHigher Bar for Inconsistencies | A new Redevelopment & Growth Management Policy and nine associated action statements were included which answer the need for specific guidance in these areas, including setting a higher bar for approval of zoning changes that deviate from the Future Land Use Dashboards; the phasing of mixed-use development; calling for the creation of a formalized community input forum; and recommending forming citizen committees to review any major changes to the Comprehensive Plan in the future. Click here to view the Redevelopment & Growth Management Policy |
| 5 | Existing land Use & Housing InventoryManagement Tool for Zoning Requests | An Existing Land Use and Housing Inventory was created that is used as an implementation tool to review zoning change requests for consistency with the Future Land Use Dashboard. This new tool also allows greater predictability about the potential for new employment and housing across the city. It will be routinely monitored and updated so that existing conditions provide better context for decision-makers, land owners, and residents. Click here to view the Existing Land Use & Housing Inventory |
| 6 | Zoning Process ImprovementsPlain Language Notifications | Various Zoning Process Improvements were implemented that are intended to make information on zoning change requests more accessible and transparent to the public. These include improved zoning notices, website updates, posting of concept and development plan drafts, and more. |